The Role of Culture in Student Contributions to Online Group Work

The Role of Culture in Student Contributions to Online Group Work

Jenna MittelmeierInstitute of Educational Technology

The Open University, UK

@JLMittelmeier

Co-Authors: Yingfei Heliot (University of Surrey) Bart Rienties (The Open University)

Denise Whitelock (The Open University)

Over 425,000 international students in the UK (HESA, 2013)

‘Passive xenophobia’ on UK campuses

(Harrison & Peacock, 2009) https://flic.kr/p/fNoxPM

Group Work• Foster cross-culture

communication (Cruickshank, Chen, & Warren, 2012)

• Increase social networks (Rienties, Heliot, & Jindal-Snape, 2013)

https://flic.kr/p/fKkZKS

Many students prefer group members from their own cultural background

(Strauss, U, & Young, 2011; Summers & Volet, 2008; Volet & Ang, 1998)

Students’ Group Work

Contributions

Culture Personality Traits

Research Questions

● How do cultural and personality traits influence the ways that students contribute to group work? ● To what extent can students’ cultural and personality traits predict the ways they contribute to group work?

Study Participants

Harvard Business School Case Study

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions• High: Strong hierarchies, submission to authority• Low: Flatter organisations, Stronger emphasis on teamworkPower Distance Index

• High: Focus on ’I,’ free speech encouraged, Expected to speak up• Low: Focus on ‘we,’ group harmony focus, avoidance of confrontation

Individualism vs Collectivism

• High: Ego-oriented, conflict resolved through force• Low: Relationship oriented, conflict resolved through negotiationMasculinity vs Femininity

• High: Preference for structure, formality with strangers• Low: Comfortable with unstructured environment, informality with strangers

Uncertainty Avoidance Index

• High: Focus on the future, willing to delay immediate gratification• Low: Focus on the immediate, focus on immediate gratificationPragmatism

• High: Free gratification of desires, more positive and extraverted • Low: Believes desires should be curbed, less positive and more cynical Indulgence vs Restraint

Hofstede, Hofstede, & Minkov, 2010

Big Five Personality Dimensions

• High: Enjoys interacting, energetic, enthusiastic, talkative• Low: More socially reserved, quiet, low-keyExtraversion

• High: Values getting along with others; Willing to compromise• Low: Uncooperative, suspicious, unconcerned of others’ well-beingAgreeableness

• High: Self-disciplined, prefers planned activities• Low: Impulsive, can more easily handle spontaneity Conscientiousness

• High: Tolerant to stress, calm, less easily upset• Low: less tolerant to stress, easily upset; higher anxietyEmotional Stability

• High: Intellectually curious, willing to try new things, imaginative• Low: Straightforward, prefers familiarity, Resistant to change

Openness to Experience

McCrae & John, 1992

Data Retained and AnalysedStudents’ nationality (converted to Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions)

Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) survey (Gosling et al., 2003)

Students’ module grades

Number of posts to online chat

Summed word count submitted

Number of references to case study material information

Agreeableness (α = .011)

Conscientiousness (α = .142)

Emotional Stability (α = .390)

Extraversion (α = .566)

Openness to Experience (α = .690)

Ten Item Personality Inventory Reliability

Findings – Bivariate Analysis

Findings - Regression AnalysisNumber of Posts Made

30.3% of variation explained by:

Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance(β= -.419, p = .001)

Hofstede’s Individualism(β=.329, p = .007)

Hi….does anyone know what is

happening here?

Are we supposed to give just one

best step…?

Sorry about my typo…

Findings - Regression AnalysisNumber of Posts Made

30.3% of variation explained by:

Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance(β= -.419, p = .001)

Hofstede’s Individualism(β=.329, p = .007)

If morale is low, it might be because they are hiring

external people rather than focusing on the staff they

already have

Yes, more training for existing foremen, so they can work

better and be promoted more easily

that fits with my idea of more opportunities to be

promoted :)

Summed Word Count Submitted

25.5% of variation explained by:

Hofstede’s Masculinity(β= -.419, p = .001)

Hofstede’s Individualism(β=.329, p = .007)

Findings - Regression Analysis

Our assignment is to give ONE suggestion on how to stop the

high rate of turnover

Can you be a bit more specific about the

special information you were given?

That’s sarcasm,

yeah?

Alright guys we have to find a conclusion. Everyone come with your suggestions and we’ll look at them.

Findings - Regression Analysis

Number of Case Study References

5.9% of variation explained by:

Hofstede’s Individualism(β=.247, p = .039)

Research Questions

● How do cultural and personality traits influence the ways that students contribute to group work? ● To what extent can students’ cultural and personality traits predict the ways they contribute to group work?

Practical Implications for Educators

Scaffolding

Role assignment

Assessment

References• Cruickshank, K., Chen, H., & Warren, S. (2012). Increasing international and domestic student

interaction through group work: a case study from the humanities. Higher Education Research & Development, 31(6), 797-810.

• Gosling, S. D., Rentfrom, P. J., & Swann, W. B. (2003). A very brief measure of the Big-Five personality domains. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 504-528.

• Harrison, N., & Peacock, N. (2009). Cultural distance, mindfulness and passive xenophobia: using Integrated Threat Theory to explore home higher education students' perspectives on 'internationalisatin at home'. British Educational Research Journal, 36(6), 2009.

• Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (3rd ed.): McGraw-Hill.

• McCrae, R. R., & John, O. P. (1992). An introduction to the Five-Factor Model and its applications. Journal of Personality, 60(2), 175-215.

• Rienties, B., Heliot, Y., & Jindal-Snape, D. (2013). Understanding social learning relations of international students in a large classroom using social network analysis. Higher Education, 66, 489-504.

• Skinner, C. W., & Beckham, H. (2008). Treadway Tire Company: John dissatisfaction and higher turnover at the Lima plant. Harvard Business School Brief Case 082-189.

• Strauss, P., & U, A. (2007). Group assessments: Dilemmas facing lecturers in multicultural tertiary classrooms. Higher Education Research & Development, 26(2), 147-161.

• Summers, M., & Volet, S. (2008). Students' attitudes towards culturally mixed groups on international campuses: Impact of participation in diverse and non-diverse groups. Studies in Higher Education, 33(4), 357-370.

• Volet, S. E., & Ang, G. (1998). Cultural mixed groups on international campuses: An opportunity for inter-cultural learning. Higher Education Research & Development, 17(1), 5-23.

Contact Information

Jenna MittelmeierInstitute of Educational Technology

The Open University, [email protected]

Twitter: @JLMittelmeier